Carbon disulphide is typically manufactured by reacting a lower hydrocarbon with elemental sulphur that is in the vapour phase according to the reaction equation:CnH2(n+1)+(3n+1)S→nCS2+(n+1)H2S  (1)
In GB 1,173,344 is disclosed a process for reacting vapour phase sulphur and propane in the absence of a catalyst under a pressure not exceeding 10 atmospheres in a reaction zone which is maintained at a temperature of 550 to 850° C.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,788 is disclosed a process for producing carbon disulphide from hydrocarbon gas and vaporous sulphur in a non-catalytic reaction stage combined with, preferably followed by, a catalytic reaction stage, wherein both stages are operated at a pressure between 2 and 20 atmospheres and a temperature between 400 and 750° C.
It is also known to manufacture carbon disulphide by catalytically reacting liquid sulphur with a hydrocarbon. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,719 for example is disclosed a process for preparing carbon disulphide, wherein a suspension of catalyst in molten sulphur is contacted with a hydrocarbon gas at a temperature of approximately 500 to 700° C., under sufficient pressure to maintain the sulphur in liquid phase.
A disadvantage of the prior art processes described above is that hydrogen sulphide is produced in a molar quantity that is larger than the molar quantity of carbon disulphide formed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,135 is disclosed a catalytic process for producing carbon disulphide and oxides of carbon, wherein a gaseous saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an oxidising gas, especially oxygen, and hydrogen sulphide are reacted at temperatures of about 100 to 700° C. in the presence of a specific aluminosilicate catalyst. Considerable amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are formed. It can be seen from the examples that the molar amount of carbon oxides formed by far exceeds the molar amount of carbon disulphide formed.
Carbon disulphide is known to be a suitable solvent for enhanced oil recovery by miscible flooding. In enhanced oil recovery by miscible flooding, a solvent for oil is introduced into an oil reservoir and driven through the reservoir to increase oil recovery from the reservoir beyond what can be achieved by conventional means. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,221 for example, the use of carbon disulphide for enhanced oil recovery from tar sands is disclosed.